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Trucks for Maddox toy drive returning for holidays

One year ago, toy trucks piled up inside a Green Tree funeral home with donations pouring in from all over the globe after Jason and Liz Derkosh launched the Trucks for Maddox charity in memory of their 2-year-old son, Maddox.

Now, the holiday toy drive is not only returning, but expanding, to benefit Christmas charities.The 2013 drive kicked off on Monday, which also marked one year since the boy's death. (For a full list of donation locations, visit trucksformaddox.org)

"It's a great cause. There are no strings attached. You bring your truck in and drop it off and that's it," said Rebecca Juneau, of Copies at Carson, which is one of the donation sites. "It's the perfect opportunity to make the best of a horrible situation, and if we can be a part of that, we're glad to do so."

Last year, more than 5,000 toy trucks were collected and delivered.

Maddox died after he fell into the African painted dogs exhibit at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium on Nov. 4, 2012. Investigators said the boy's mother picked him up and put him on top of a railing at the edge of a viewing deck, and he lost his balance and fell into the African painted dogs exhibit, where he was mauled by the animals.

"It is not possible to express our deep sense of loss one year after the death of the joy of our life, Maddox. He is in our thoughts and prayers every day," his parents said in a statement released Monday.

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